OK, all you Duramax owners with campers, please sound off about your mileage while hauling, and unloaded. I really enjoy my 2500HD, but the mileage (thus short range) drives me nuts! I get between 7 and 9 MPG while hauling my camper with my gaser, and about 12 unloaded. Will I get much improved mileage with a Duramax?

Thank you in advance!

03 GMC Sierra 2500HD CC SB D/A 4WD
04 Jazz 2780 BH Fifth Wheel
07 North River Seahawk...can you say 'Tuna!'?
Wife, two wonderful kids, and a good dog...sigh, what more can a man ask for?

Hi,
I have about 7000 miles on my D/A, 2500HD. Our first real pull was with 500 miles on it, pulling 11,000 lbs, with a few hills. I got about 13mpg (US gallon equivalent) on that pull. Over the winter, running empty, with mixed runs, some city, but mostly country or expressway, I am getting 16 to 19 U.S. miles per gallon. (we are in litres here, victims of the metric revolution, so I am converting to USmpg). You can check the web site www.pickup truck.com and do a search...some people are talking as high as 24mpg empty, but most seem to fall within my range. Hope to get better mileage this summer, when the engine has a few more miles on it, and the weather is better.
Bill

I have 4x4 2500hd crew cab short box with the Duramax and Allison auto. 100% stock. I get 16-18 city/highway mix driving and 18-21 highway. Pulling our boat at 70 I get 15. By the way, how heavy is your truck when your fully loaded with all your gear, camper, people, etc? Is it over the 9200 GVWR? I'm getting a Lance 820 soon and like all other 3/4 ton trucks will be over my GVWR. How does your truck handle with the weight?

What engine do you have in that truck that's getting 9mpg. I've been looking at the chevy's and would appreciate hearing more of your story. I would prefer to not have to go diesel if I can avoid it because of the extra noise, but if gas won't work....?

Hauling a Western Wilderness 11" cab-over with all the stuff in it, I figure the load is 2,700 - 3,000#. Used to haul it on a '77 Chevy 3/4T, 454. At best I could get 9mph on the flat running approx. 60mph. Pulling grades or fighting wind the MPH could easily drop to 5mph.

Hauling the same camper on a '02 GMC 3500, Duramax, Allison 5 speed, DRW, ext. cab, I get 10.5-11 running the speed limit (maybe 5 over). That is up grades and/or fighting head-winds. I have 12K on the truck and have not driven it enough without the camper to know what the mileage would be.

My '00 GMS dually with a 454 achieved, at best about 9. Pulling was in the 5 to 7 range. Overall was about 7.5.

Last tank with the D/A netter 17 (city w/some hwy)

Oh yeah, I forgot, the noise with the new duramax isn't bad at all. Once the engine warms up, it's actually quite quiet compared to what you've heard coming out of diesels in the past, expecially the competition from Ford and Dodge and the older GM diesels.

You stated you don't want to go with the diesel because of "the noise". Have you driven the Duramax on the highway? It is very quite. I think you would be amazed to see how far diesel technology has come with this motor. Did I mention power? Nothing I have driven comes close. Last week-end we went camping in the Sierras 35 miles up a very steep and twisty mountain road (think Swiss alps) with a total weight of near 11,000 Lbs. On the way up I could pull away from people behind me and had to use the BRAKES to slow down for corners and on the way down using the Allison grade braking transmission feature, I hardly needed to use the brakes. Before the trip I was a little nervous because I had been up this road years before and this was only the 4th trip with our new camper/truck combo so I didn't know what to expect. Now I just have a smile on my face. Anyway, to make a long story short, try out the Duramax and I'll bet you won't want a gas motor.

So far so good!
2002 Silverado 2500HD ext. cab W/D-max/Allison (stock). City milage is 17.5 consistantly. Highway milage unloaded is 22 and loaded with 30ft of camper (12,700lbs.), the wife, 2-teens, and three Golden Retreivers (it's been between 15 and 15.3 throughout Colorado. It's a great combination for the mountains! We'll see you at the next 7% incline.